


Tales of Trees

by vvertigo



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Fantasy, Forests, Gen, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Short Chapters, Vague, Vex Scar, urban legend energy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:14:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28754217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvertigo/pseuds/vvertigo
Summary: A traveler wanders through the Wood. And the forest answers their steps.(Includes most Hermits, does not include ones I don’t know how to write)
Relationships: Everyone & Everyone
Kudos: 9





	1. CHAPTER ONE

When a traveler stumbles, a being is alerted. When lost, a voice answers. A guiding hand across the river. Into the deep Wood.

—

“How have you gotten here?” The boatman wonders aloud, looking back to the traveler for an answer. His face is shrouded in shadow, no features recognizable. But he sounds friendly, and the traveler is lost.

The traveler answers, a short thing, concise. The boatman nods, and moonlight begins to flicker through the trees, revealing a round and metal helmet atop his head, hiding his features. He wears a long, heavy cloak, and is sturdy in build, seeming both welcoming and foriegn. The moonlight reflects on the water, casting an iridescent glow across the waves.

As the boat follows the current, the boatman sits, pulling something out from underneath the seat. A beautifully crafted guitar is revealed, and after a few experimental strums, the boatman begins to play.

The melody is unlike anything from the traveler’s land, sweet and somber, a melody that would sink into your bones and fill your mind. The quiet of the river is perfect framing of the notes, a lovely tune backed by the world’s full attention...

The shore becomes closer, and soon the boat is docking, the boatman helping the traveler out and onto dry land. His hands are cold as steel.

“Well, traveler,” he says, standing straight, “I must depart with you now. But a word of advice: my Wood may be dark, but its not unfriendly. Many beings you find will be frightening to your eye, but they are as welcoming as I have been. If you must return from our Wood, you may come here, or simply call for X,”

The traveler nods, smiling hesitantly, and thanks the boatman. They find the sunken trail, and bidding goodbye, head on their way. 


	2. CHAPTER TWO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The traveler encounters a hunter.

As the traveler wanders, the trail begins to pitter out, and the dark is nearly suffocating, but the traveler keeps on. Trees loom above, a mixture of oak and pine, the rustling of leaves from creatures that scatter being the only noise in the silence. The traveler is nervous, but only slightly, as they have been given no sight of danger in these Wood.

Until something whizzes just by their head, and clunks into a tree nearby. An arrow, that had it been just an inch off course, would have taken off an ear. The traveler jumps, spinning around to look for any signs of danger. There’s the flicker of lamplight, and suddenly a figure steps out of the forest, unrecognizable in the trees’ shadow. The lantern is on the figure’s hip, a longbow held in one hand, and a quiver on their back. The traveler can feel them staring.

“Are you the one who crossed the river?” The figure asks, “I could hear Xisuma’s guitar,” 

The traveler nods, tense, unsure of the safety in the situation.

The figure fits their longbow into a sling on their back, before lifting the lantern to reveal their face, as well as allow them to get a look at the traveler. The person had blonde hair, a pair of goggles on her head, narrow and focused eyes. Her jacket was cropped but sturdy, and her ears had a selective of piercings in them. She studied our traveler for a moment, before offering a hand.

“I’m the huntsman in these woods, and you look lost. Should you prefer to wander, I won’t stop you, but if you need a guide, I’m here.”

The traveler shakes her hand nervously, and asks what the hunter should be called.

“You may call me False. Are you hungry?”

The traveler nods. They had not noticed it before it was mentioned, but now they realize how long it had been since they had eaten.

False reaches into a bag slung across her hips, producing some preserved meat and handing it to the traveler. The traveler hesitantly begins to eat, before doing so more confidently, the silence both welcomed and unnerving.

When they finish, False looks satisfied. “That will hold you off for a while. Should you wander on, or would you rather be guided?”

The traveler takes a moment to glance around the forest, the Wood, dark and foreboding. And yet, the freedom of it is beckoning. The traveler says they must wander, drawn in by the breathing wonder that the shadows invite in. And False smiles, dipping her head.

“Then wander, traveler. And stay out of trouble. A huntress may take from the Wood, but a traveler must ask for permission.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter will be longer, i promise


	3. CHAPTER THREE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home, glass, and wonder

Time passes. The traveler isn’t sure how long, but they don’t tire. Part of them wonders about the nature of the Wood; how many beings were here? Were they all friendly? Why were they here at all? It was nothing short of a mystery to our traveler, but one that could hopefully be solved.

Unbenounced to the traveler in their wonderings, they had made it onto a dirt trail once more, a curving and messy thing, but one that was definitely purposeful.

The traveler was lost in question, and didn’t notice the path, until they came upon a small clearing. With, more importantly, a small home. The traveler stopped at the entrance to the clearing, surprised, taking a glance around the scene. The house was small, wood and stone, with a tall door and stained glass windows. There was a messy garden surrounding the place, made of mismatched flowers and various vegetables like tomatoes and basil. The oddest thing, though, was the brightness. The moonlight seemed to be refracted, creating a brighter glow, and casting the clearing in milky light.

After a moment, the traveler hesitantly stepped forward, walking through the garden and up to the door. Not knowing what else to do, they knocked.

The answer was immediate, the shuffling of what sounded like glass, and a voice calling, “Just a moment!”

The traveler startled, but waited for whoever was inside, certainly not anyone they had come across before. After a second, the door was opened, and a smiling face greeted our traveler.

“Oh! Hello! You’re new,”

The man was brown-haired, and looked mostly normal in face and build, but vastly different in almost every other way. His ears were pointed, skin desaturated, pink scars covering his body. He sat in what looked to be a chair that seemed to glide across the floor, no wheels visible, and-was it floating? It made no sense to the traveler, gravity apparently not affecting this seat in particular for whatever reason. The man also had some sort of ring in his nose, a tube, but one that didn’t seem to be connected to anything.

The man raised an eyebrow, looking the traveler up and down. “You alright?”

The traveler smiled sheepishly and nodded, hesitating a moment, before asking for the man’s name. 

“Oh! You can call me Scar, here- come in, you look like you’ve been walking for a while,” Scar beckoned them into the cottage, and the traveler obliged, taking a glance around the house as they entered.

There were glass leaves hanging from the ceiling on strings like a hundred windchimes, bottles hung on the walls, colorful flowers sprouting from pots and vases, all creating an array of color against the dull wood. A hammock hung in the corner, a grey and white cat sleeping inside, everything looked perfect for Scar.

The man in question began to whisk around the room, setting a small kettle on what looked to be a stove, pulling out a couple ceramic mugs from a box.

“I’ll make some tea, make yourself at home!”

The traveler smiled, sitting down on a stool by a window to rest their legs. This was the most at home they had felt in these woods, and yet they still felt uneasy. They had somewhere to go, to wander, but where?

They didn’t dwell on it, as Scar walked over with the tea, handing them one of the mugs. The traveler took a sip. The tea tasted sweet and herbal, unlike anything they had had before, warm and homey. Familiar, somehow.

“I’m sure you’ve met X,” Scar spoke up, “Has anyone else crossed your path yet?”

The traveler nodded, mentioning the huntress.

“Ah! False! She’s wonderful, isn’t she? Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t met Bdubs yet, he gets restless in the dark,” Scar smiled to himself for a moment, before looking back to the traveler. “You can stay here however long you’d like, but I feel you may have somewhere to go,”

The traveler nodded, saying that they would stay if they could. Scar smiled understandingly.

“Well, let me offer you this: There’s a man named Cub who has access to some of the greater forces in this Wood. Find him, and you may be able to figure out where you’re wandering.”

The traveler thanked Scar, saying that they would rest here for a moment, before heading back on their way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY a longer chapter

**Author's Note:**

> i’m going to attempt to update this daily <3


End file.
